Hanoi When To Go

Strangely, most of the peak tourist season in Hanoi coincides with the city’s worst weather, although late fall is still pleasant. The summer months are hot, sticky, and rainy, and winter can be surprisingly brisk and gray, but these times coincide with standard “summer” vacation season in both northern and southern hemispheres. Rates peak over the Christmas holiday period, and you can expect a lot of activity around the Vietnamese New Year (late January to early February).

After the Vietnamese New Year, things quiet down considerably in Hanoi. February and early March are still fairly cool, but as the city transitions into spring, the temps are increasingly pleasant. Rising humidity and rainfall are noticeable with the advent of monsoon season in May, and they do not taper off until late September. 

In October and April, you’ll find few tourists, but you’ll also encounter better weather than during other off-season months. April is warm and sunny without being searing, and in October, once monsoon season is officially over, you can expect drier conditions and temps in the 70s.